The Old University
1845-1904
Legislative Charter of 1917
• Normal School at Nacogdoches
– WWI delay opening until 1921
• Registering on the first day were 270
students paying $12 tuition for the semester.
The History of SFASU
Nine Flags Logo
Dr. Alton. W. Birdwell
1917 - 1942
The “Shack” of 1923
Administration, the Library, the
Registrar’s office, and even the sports
equipment.
The Old University
Built 1858
First Faculty
Lois Foster, first faculty
member, history
Robert Shelton,
men’s athletic coach
More Early Faculty
Thomas E. Ferguson
Ruth Mays,
Dean of Women
Pine Tree Hymn
Karle Wilson Baker,
poet
The Vista 1924
The Austin Building
Austin and Rusk Buildings
Stone Fort Legends
•Freshmen entering
Stone Fort will not
graduate.
•Only virgins can enter
without tripping.
Ghosts
• Chester: Ghost of the Fine Arts Building.
o 1967
• Strange blurred shapes in photos
• Sounds of footsteps.
o Architect died of heart attack during building
construction?
o Worker fell from scaffold?
o No to both
• Dorm 15
o Girl who jumped off 3rd story on 1st night on
campus.
Dr. Paul Boynton
1942 - 1958
Boynton, the Savior
• Enrollment hits a low of 253 in the last
spring semester of the war
• Suspends sports
• Recruits a Women’s Army Corps school
• Freezes hiring and opens garden plots on
campus to supplement food
• Starts Forestry Department
Women Army Corps
Dr. Ralph W. Steen
1958 - 1976
Steen, the Builder
• Enrollments go from 2,017 to 11,293
• 12-fold increase in budget
• Student Center (1964) and dormitories on Griffith
Boulevard
• Classrooms and offices for Education (1974) and Business
(1975)
• Library (1973)
• Coliseum (1975)
• Physical education complex (1975)
• New football stadium
• First doctoral program in forestry starts in 1975.
Dr. William R. Johnson
1976 - 1990
Dr. Donald Bowen
1990 - 1991
Dr. Dan Angel
1992 - 1999
Dr. Tito Guerrero, III
2000-2006
Dr. Baker Patillo, 2007-